


i thought it less like a lake (and more like a moat)

by orphan_account



Series: to the power of three [1]
Category: Sherlock (TV), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom
Genre: Gen, M/M, Q is a Holmes, and sherlock is a shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-24
Updated: 2014-07-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 04:37:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2011182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"We finally caught that detective we were after," James remarks offhandedly, leaning one hip on a nearby desk. Q, utterly unsurprised, doesn't look at him, just makes a noncommital humming noise.</p><p>"What detective?"</p><p>"Sherlock Holmes- you know, the one that faked his death last year?"</p><p>Alternatively titled "MI6 Has Ninety-Nine Problems And They're All Named Holmes" or "M Is Really, Really Done With The Holmes Family" or something along those lines.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i thought it less like a lake (and more like a moat)

**Author's Note:**

> welll i really don't know that much about james bond cause like i watched skyfall once and that. was. it. but somehow i got very very attached to q, so here's a thing.
> 
> oh and the ending is total crap but i don't think you're surprised.
> 
> title from transatlanticism by death cab for cutie.

James isn't surprised when he comes into Q Branch at three thirty in the morning to see the lights on.

Q himself is dressed in yesterday's jumper, bent over a Bunsen burner and thoughtfully exploding things in some sort of pot, his tongue trapped between his teeth.

"We finally caught that detective we were after," James remarks offhandedly, leaning one hip on a nearby desk. Q, utterly unsurprised, doesn't look at him, just makes a noncommital humming noise.

"What detective?" Something lime green and fuschia sparks, and he looks faintly interested.

"Sherlock Holmes- you know, the one that faked his death last year?"

He goes no farther, because Q jerks suddenly, and a spark jumps too high, exploding like mini fireworks and catching Bond's sleeve on fire. He pats it out absently, more interested in Q's reaction; the man's at his computer now, fingers tapping at the keyboard with lightning speed. It takes him only a moment to pull up what looks like a live feed- the detective, sitting motionless in a holding cell. Q stares at it for a moment.

Then he's off like a shot, not even bothering to tell James where he's going, which of course means that he's going to follow him. They walk- well, half-run, really- to where M is watching the detective through the two-sided mirror, mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Q, what's this?" he asks, puzzled. "I thought you'd gone home."

"Let me in there," Q says firmly, his tone sounding a bit like an order. "I only need ten minutes, or I swear to God I'll delete all your messages and replace them with cat videos. Er, again."

James gets stuck on the "again-" Q's hacked M's computer before, and he's threatening to do it again? And M is just standing there?

"I'm expecting an email from the Russian Prime Minister," M says finally. "Ten minutes is all you have."

Q is inside before he's finished his sentence, and James and M turn their attention to the mirror, some techie- one of Q's "minions"- pulling the sound up so they can hear.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Q demands, and the detective- Holmes- just looks bored.

"I can't say I'm surprised," he says mildly. "You never did manage the art of leaving well enough alone."

"And you never did manage the art of staying out of trouble," Q retorts, sitting down at the table across from him. "Don't you dare tell me this is for a case."

"Oh, it's not," Holmes says lazily. "Your friends here at MI6 decided that I was a 'potential threat' and took me in for questioning. Well, I say questioning."

"I find it hard to believe that you're completely innocent in this." Q's uncharacteristically jumpy, fingers tapping at the table, and Holmes evidently notices, as he gives him a level look.

"Sleep-deprived is not an attractive look on you," he says dryly. "How many cups of coffee have you had?"

"Tea," Q corrects. "I don't drink coffee. And stop trying to change the subject. _What did you do_?"

"I might have broken into the ministry of justice in order to see some important records," Holmes admits, not at all ashamed. "In my defense, John was _supposed_ to be lookout."

The young quartermaster sighs and sits back, adjusting his glasses. "It's not the fact that you got caught," he says tiredly. "It's the fact that you _did_ it. If it was for a case, you could have asked me or, God forbid, Mycroft. It's far easier than going and putting yourself on MI6's radar."

Holmes stares for a moment before making an _ah_ sort of face. "This is about last year," he says. "You're still worried about that."

"Sherlock, you were nearly put into that mission in the Middle East, and you _know_ how that would have ended up."

"I was recalled, it's over and done with, Q-"

" _You killed a man_."

Holmes- Sherlock, apparently, and how does Q know this man?- freezes for a moment, looking rather deer in the headlights-like, but he recovers himself quickly. "Now you sound like Mummy," he says, and Q glares harder.

"Don't you dare bring Mummy into this, she was completely devastated-"

"Bloody _hell_ ," M mutters, and he yanks the door open. "Q, out, now," he orders, and stands there until Q gets up reluctantly.

"How the hell- you know him?" James asks, horribly confused, and Q looks at him and M, puzzled.

"I thought you knew," he says. "Sherlock's my _brother_."

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta-ed, as always, and in this case, un-britpicked. polite corrections are hailed with joy.


End file.
